Any other old salts about sailing old Hobies? Mine although only a couple of years old for me tracks back to the early 70s (73). Had it out today for a few hours in mid October Massachusetts sunshine (75F). My sailing goes back to when I was eight in 60 when I started taking lessons. Any other old hands around or am I alone in this?

You're not alone on this! I went sailng today and just finished getting everything washed, dried and put away. Our boat is a 79 H 16. My wife bought it for me on Father's Day in 1980. I keep it well maintained. I often sail with my wife, grandkids, solo, and some friends. Today I sailed with Meb Keflezighi - 2004 Olympic silver medalist; winner of the N.Y. Marathon in 2009; three time olympian........ Our 2 kids are both married with kids of their own. Neither of them want to go sailing with me any more. They say that I took them sailing too often when they were younger.There's quite a few of us older skippers with older boats. There was a nice discussion about this on the Hobie forums about a year ago.

I'm 62. My two Hobies are 31 but I also sail a 10 year old Nacra. I first sailed on a Prindle in 1978. I did a twelve year foray into stand-up jetskis and then came back to beach cats around 2002 as my decrepitude set in. I don't race or sail under small craft advisories anymore. I'll probably have my ashes spread into the Chesapeake Bay if there are any beach cat sailors still around then. Several of my sailing buddies are older than me!

I resemble that remark..... (actually I suspect most of us do).I got my first sailboat (a sunfish) in 65-68 and sailed it around the Mississippi river and a lake in Madison Wisconsin for several summers, but then I bought a new Camaro in 68 and all my money and time went into the souped up cars, flying, scuba diving, and racing go karts and hydroplanes after that. Living at least 90 minutes drive from any water I'm sure had a lot to do with everything.Now we live near the water in Florida (since 2007) and I really enjoy going out kayaking and sailing every weekend on our Hobies, all year round. We did the Power boating thing but I honestly don't know how anyone can afford $60k for a Sea Ray, plus $350 a month for dry storage, plus maint and fuel was at least $3,000 per year (fuel at marinas is currently $4.30 /gal). This doesn't mean we don't still love the to go out on the water. With our current TI that we keep in the garage we can do everything we did with our powerboats. Actually more because the power boat could only reach 10% of the Florida waterways (had to stay in channels). With the TI we can go in 95% of the waterways in the area, and also use in small rivers and lakes as a kayak.We have a motor on the TI and can go out in pretty much any conditions (this area is know for very light winds 3-5mph) and have just as much fun sailing (what we call power sailing). Basically I can take the TI sailing for most of the day for about a dollar in fuel. Obviously we are destination sailers, and our TI's main purpose is to get us out to sea to go to scuba diving sites, and Island hopping. Renting a dive boat typically costs us around $800 dollars for an afternoon. With the TI it costs me a buck (for fuel).

One thing we discovered in Florida is in the summer it gets very hot out on the water, and if you are not moving at least 6-8 mph (enough to generate a nice breeze) it's like sitting in a frying pan out on the water. Plus how far can you go at 3mph...When the wind gods are cooperating down in key west (trade winds) we can get out to our dive sites averaging 12-15mph on our TI which is acceptable to us, plus it saves me $799 dollars each time out (LOL).

Going out 7 times in one year pays for my TI (vs renting a dive boat), we try to go out every weekend if we can, and when down at our Key West house (about 1 week every month) if I can go out daily I do.The fun continues even when your an old salt.Bob

Last edited by fusioneng on Fri Oct 18, 2013 9:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

I am 79 and bought my H-16 new in '85. I am still sailing though this year I had an operation that kept me off the water. Ready to go next season. My first sail was in my parents Comet monohull about 72 years ago. They raced the Comet in Raritan Bay in New Jersey in the late 30s. I also sailed a sailing pram and then a Banshee (similar to a Laser). Later my Dad bought a brand new Cape Cod cat boat (monohull) in '72. We sailed it from Mass. to New Jersey in '72. I have it now in North Carolina and will sail it next season as well. Once I was introduced to the Hobie, I had to have one.

I've been sailing and racing Hobie products exclusively since 1976. Started off at age 21 with a 16...then three 18's, one 17, two 20's and two Tiger's later...a Wild Cat. After 38 years the ride is still a rush. Old age and treachery beat youth and enthusiasm everytime. Old guys rule!

Wow at 79 stepping the mast is a feat. I can do it but usually like to have some one attach the stay for me although I'm sure it would hold. For me, the challenge is getting off of the trailer and on to the Cat Trax which I need help with.

There is so much to respond to here. First, '62? Old man, I won't make that mark until June.

Raritan Bay? I used to sail a 16 with the Sandy Hook Fleet (250) out of Atlantic Highlands. Great area although a bit crowded.

Finally the Wild Cat. I am so in love with that boat. Do you race or mainly use it for recreational sailing?

It's great to see some responses. After yesterday's sail I again have more to do on the '73 16, this time one of my cleats failed. That's OK there is an extra one on the 14.

Finally the Wild Cat. I am so in love with that boat. Do you race or mainly use it for recreational sailing?

I acquired the Wild Cat in September, 2010 and strictly race...but I have on occassion taken her out for a pleasure sail. Check us and the rest of the F18 fleet out at the F18 Americas Championship, October 19-26 in Sarasota, FL. We're entered in the "Masters" sub-class (skipper and crew combined age of greater than 100) being an elder statesman within F18. Glad I packed away the Tylenol We're leaving here in a few hours Here's the link: http://www.2013f18americas.com/

Well, I'm 60, so not a kid, but I certainly don't feel old! I started sailing while in the Navy (yes, small sailboats - our carrier had a sailing club).Bought my first sailboat - a Hobie 17 - in 1990 as a get well present for myself. Over the years, I've had 2 H-17s, and an assortment of monohulls that didn't work out very well, mostly because I like cats.We bought a Getaway last year and have been sailing it on Lake Michigan and Lake Mendota in Madison, WI. That is a great boat - perfectly suited to my wife and me, or with friends or a passle of grandkids. Can't wait to get the little kids out on the trap!

I bought a 1979 H-16 from a Gentleman that resides about 7 houses down from where I keep my boat, 23 years ago. Its been, and used in the water every year since then. The Gentleman is a "Sailor" and a "Racer" and owned the boat, used it, and raced it, for several years prior to my buying it from him in 1990. It's seen alot of heavy use, in light and high winds. The "Sailor/Racer", local ledgendary lifetime yacht club chartered member (in my book anyway) and his crew (his Wife) have sailed/raced Sunfish, Snipes and H-16's, Iceboats that I know of, not to mention the other sailboats that I don't know of, He even had a H-16 up to about 3 Years ago. (I think he still has a Sunfish) In his house, numerous trophies, plaks, you name it, from his past conquests I was out one day this past summer, on a moderate wind day, sailing solo. ( I'm early 50's but have sailed, since my single digit years) I see him, up on his deck watching as I tack in front of his home, and yell up at him " Hey Mel," Ya want to go for a Spin! " as I have in the past, and he would go. I tack across the lake, Then tack back to his house, and then, now see him sitting on the porch under his deck, near the beach. I stop, get off, back the boat up to his dock, he comes walking down his dock, eyes all lit up. I look at him and say " Lets go Skipper " He gets on, takes the helm (rudders and main sheet) I get us lined up, for a good send off tack and hop on, " I'll run the Jib, tell me what you want". We get under way and do a few tacks, and there's another Hobie-16 out sailing. ( 30's year old guy and his girlfriend, 1st year sailing a H-16, has prior of past mono-hull sailing, They did real good this year, They even got out on the wires a few times, Mid to late 70's boat) Mel looks at me with a gleam in his eyes and says with a voice of anticipating Battle " Do ya think he wants to race us! " I look at Mel and reply as I'm sizing the other H-16 up, " I don't know Mel, He's kind of like myself, a serious recreation sailor. We got him on age, experience, and our rig is tighter, and with our slightly more mast rake, we can point slightly higher than he can, I know that for a fact, from being out here with him on different occasions this year. I'd say it, might be about even, on tack transitions, but we could take him in a drag race to the other side" ( Here I go, from confident to a little cocky trying to Amp up the senior to encourage him to give it a go) We go a few more tacks, back and forth with no indication from us or the other guy of any intentions of a race and Mel says " I'd like to continue on, but my back is starting to feel it " ( about 6-7 tacks total ) So we head back to his dock, I line it up, he makes his way off the boat onto his dock and says " Thank You for taking me out " I reply " It was my honor, anytime you want to go, let me know, I'll rig it, bring it down, set it so you don't have to get wet when boarding, you skipper it, I'll crew, or you can take it, and have whom ever you want as a crew, Its yours just as it is mine, what ever you want." Hell, I did'nt say it, but, I'd even go get the chase raft out if he wanted, while hes out, in case he got into a fix, which I feel, most likely would not even happen to him. The Gentleman sailor: I always catch him watching me, when I'm out sailing, mostly when I'm soloing, he knows I like sailing in the higher winds, when we have them. I go out on the wire a good fair share of the time and will run my tacks/transitions up close to his dock looking for the opportunity to take him out if he wants to go...

Hogwldfltr, There's alot more senior sailors out here than you may think, not to forget the ones that don't even come on line to post on any forums, because computers came way after their time of even wanting to bother with them. All this high technology is great, don't get me wrong, but there's alot out there that have a great appreciation for what is more toward the simpler end of things. Where its just you, the equipment, and the elements, not including anything that requires turning a key and starting an engine, and of course the ever climbing expense of fuel, maintenance, storage, registration, insurance and initial cost.(not to say that its at all bad, but for alot of people, its just not enough, and bang for buck is becoming a factor) Here in Michigan, it is common to see early 1970's sailboats including hobies (mostly H-16s) on Craigslist. They are out there, and so are the sailors.